It’s now less than a year until the best footballers in the world converge in Brazil for the World Cup finals - 64 matches played to a samba rhythm in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth.
And to get everyone in the mood, the traditional 'dress rehearsal' for the main event - the FIFA Confederations Cup - gets underway this weekend.
Not only is the tournament important in testing the magnificent venues that will host the World Cup in 12 month’s time, but it’s a chance for some of the best teams to challenge themselves against each other with an eye on winning the biggest prize.
Sportunes has everything you need to know about the the tournament
WHAT IS THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP?
Like the World Cup, the Confederations Cup is staged every four years and, since 2005, has been held in the same country chosen to host the main event 12 months later. It comprises eight nations, including the host nation for the World Cup, the previous World Cup winners and the winners of each of the continental tournaments - the European Championships, Copa America etc.
It serves an important logistical purpose in testing out the venues that will be used for the finals, but also gives some of the best nations on the planet an early chance to size each other up.
PREVIOUS FINALS
KING FAHD CUP
1992 (Host: Saudi Arabia) Argentina 3 Saudi Arabia 1
1995 (Saudi Arabia) Denmark 2 Argentina 0
FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP
1997 (Saudi Arabia) Brazil 6 Australia 0
1999 (Mexico) Mexico 4 Brazil 3
2001 (Japan & South Korea) France 1 Japan 0
2003 (France) France 1 Cameroon 0 (aet)
2005 (Germany) Brazil 4 Argentina 1
2009 (South Africa) Brazil 3 United States 2
WHO WILL COMPETE IN THIS YEAR'S CONFEDERATIONS CUP?
As always, there will be eight nations in the competition:
BRAZIL - The host nation for the 2014 World Cup
SPAIN - The World Cup holders from 2010
JAPAN - The winners of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
MEXICO - The winners of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
URUGUAY - The winners of the 2011 Copa America
TAHITI - The winners of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup
NIGERIA - The winners of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
ITALY - The runners-up in the 2012 UEFA European Championships - because Spain currently hold both the World Cup and the European Championship trophies, the runners-up are invited to take the European space in the tournament.
WHO IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TEAM IN THE TOURNAMENT?
That would be Brazil, who won the competition in 1997, 2005 and 2009, and were also runners-up to Mexico in 1999. France took the honours in 2001 and 2003, while if you include the tournament’s forerunner, the King Fahd Cup in Saudi Arabia, then you can add Argentina (winners in 1992) and Denmark (1995).
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE COMPETITION?
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE COMPETITION?
WHERE CAN I WATCH THE MATCHES?
WHERE WILL THE MATCHES BE PLAYED?
Six of the stadia to be used next summer will host the Confederations Cup. They are:
Rio De Janeiro Maracana (top left); Capacity: 78,639; Two group matches, Final
Brasilia Estadio Nacional (top middle); Capacity: 70, 064; Opening group match
Fortaleza Estadio Castelao (bottom middle); Capacity: 64,846; Two group matches, semi-final
Belo Horizonte Estadio Mineirao (bottom right); Capacity: 62,547; Two group matches, semi-final
Salvador Arena Fonte Nova (top right); Capacity: 55,000; Two group matches, third-placed play-off
Recife Arena Pernambuco (bottom left); Capacity: 44,248; Three group matches
WHO ARE THE PLAYERS TO WATCH?
NEYMAR (BRAZIL)
Club: Barcelona Age: 21 International caps: 33 International goals: 20
You could single out almost every player in Brazil’s star-studded squad, but there’s no doubt it will be Neymar who will receive the most attention in this tournament and at the World Cup finals next summer. Having just made the move from Santos to Barcelona for an eye-watering £48.6million price tag, we will now see just how accurate those comparisons to Pele and other Brazilian greats are. With the forward set to grace the Champions League for the first time next season, Europe will be scrutinising his every twist, turn, trick and flick too.
PAULINHO (BRAZIL)
Club: Corinthians Age: 24 International caps: 13 International goals: 3
While Neymar has already made the move to Europe, it’s likely that Corinthians’ Paulinho will be next, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Inter Milan among the clubs interested in the powerful box-to-box midfielder. Despite constant statement that he’s content playing in Brazil, the next 12 months will be an audition for the young man, whose stock rose ever higher with that volley against England in the recent 2-2 Maracana draw.
JUAN MATA (SPAIN)
Club: Chelsea Age: 25 International caps: 25 International goals: 7
The Mata Marathon goes on, with the playmaker spending his summer at yet another tournament. Part of Spain’s victorious 2010 World Cup squad in South Africa, he then played in the 2011 European Under-21 Championships, the 2012 European Championships and the London Olympics. And now, despite a hectic season leading Chelsea’s attack, he won’t be getting a long summer holiday again. Just one asset in a phenomenally talented Spain side, there will be plenty of scouts monitoring his performances closely after incoming Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hinted he would listen to offers for the 25-year-old.
JESUS NAVAS (SPAIN)
Club: Manchester City Age: 27 International caps: 24 International goals: 2
There will be plenty of English viewers interested should Navas get onto the field out in Brazil, following his £14.9million transfer to Manchester City. If the speedster from Seville can show the blistering pace and excellent crossing ability he showed last season in La Liga in this tournament, it will truly wet the appetite for the Premier League campaign to come.
STEPHAN EL SHAARAWY (ITALY)
Club: AC Milan Age: 20 International caps: 8 International goals: 1
Talented young striker who will enter the Confederations Cup brimming with confidence after a prolific 19-goal season with Milan. Relatively new to the Italy set-up, this is a real opportunity for El Shaarawy to demonstrate on the world stage why observers in some quarters have been happily comparing his style of play to Cristiano Ronaldo.
EDINSON CAVANI (URUGUAY)
Club: Napoli Age: 26 International caps: 50 International goals: 14
There doesn’t seem to be a day go by when the supremely talented Cavani isn’t linked with a move to a big club. His undoubted class and potency was once again proven beyond doubt this season as he scored 38 goals in 43 appearances for Napoli, a club for whom he has been phenomenally prolific since he arrived in 2010. A successful tournament for Uruguay here will add a few more million to his price tag.
BROWN IDEYE (NIGERIA)
Club: Dynamo Kiev Age: 24 International caps: 15 International goals: 3
A relative newcomer to the Nigerian side but a player on which great hopes have been pinned, Ideye helped his country to Africa Cup of Nations glory earlier this year and scored 21 goals in 40 matches for his club, Dynamo Kiev, this season. As ever, the Super Eagles could be dark horses in this competition.
SHINJI OKAZAKI (JAPAN)
Club: Stuttgart Age: 27 International caps: 63 International goals: 33
Okazaki has played an instrumental role in guiding Japan to next summer’s World Cup finals - they became only the second side to qualify last week - and he will give us a sneak preview of his potential here. His international scoring record of 33 goals in 63 outings speaks for itself, even though his goalscoring ratios at Stuttgart could do with some improving.
JAVIER HERNANDEZ (MEXICO)
Club: Manchester United Age: 25 international caps: 50 International goals: 32
A familiar name, of course, to followers of the Premier League, where opportunities came usually from the subs’ bench as Manchester United claimed a 20th league title, but what is less known is Chicharito’s impressive international scoring record of over a goal a game. Given regular pitch time at this tournament, expect him to add to that tally in his customary goal poacher’s style.
Club: Manchester United Age: 25 international caps: 50 International goals: 32
A familiar name, of course, to followers of the Premier League, where opportunities came usually from the subs’ bench as Manchester United claimed a 20th league title, but what is less known is Chicharito’s impressive international scoring record of over a goal a game. Given regular pitch time at this tournament, expect him to add to that tally in his customary goal poacher’s style.
STEEVY CHONG HUE (TAHITI)
Club: AS Dragon Age: 23 International caps: 22 International goals: 11
Little is known about Pacific minnows Tahiti, but this tournament is bound to be a great experience for them. Chong Hue became a national hero when he scored the winner in the 2012 Oceania Nations Cup final against New Caledonia. He played for AS Dragon in the Tahiti first division.
Club: AS Dragon Age: 23 International caps: 22 International goals: 11
Little is known about Pacific minnows Tahiti, but this tournament is bound to be a great experience for them. Chong Hue became a national hero when he scored the winner in the 2012 Oceania Nations Cup final against New Caledonia. He played for AS Dragon in the Tahiti first division.
Which kind ideye be dat.... She's d final wlb played on a sundae, Sunday MBA thins jo
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